Hydromechanical transformer



Sept. 1, I925. 1,551,653

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INVENTUR [maze 2 0 czr Sept. 1, 1925. 1,551,653

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E. FOUCHEE HYDROIECHANICAL TRANSFORIER Filed Oct, 3, 1921 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 Tigim I// III] INVENTEIR Emile g mow Sept. 1, 1925.-

E. FOUCHEE HYDRouEcHANIcAL TRANSFORMER Filed Oct. 5, 1921 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.6 a

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- E. FOUCHEE HYDROIECHANICAL TRANSFORMER Filed Oct. 5, 1921 9 Sheets-Sheet e E. FOUCHEE v Sept 1, 1925. 1,551,653

HYDROIECHANICAL TRANSFORIER Filed on} s, 1921' 9 Shoots-Shoot 9 Fig.8

' ATTURNE) Patented Sept. 1, 1925.

I issttss UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMILE ronomin, or PARIsrRaNoE; ROBERT YFOU'CHEE ADMINISTRATOR or sAID EMILE IFOUOHEE, DECEASED.

HYDROMECHANICAL TRANSFORMER.

Application filed. October 3,

To all w/mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMILE Fonoiiiin, citizen of the Republic of France, and resident of Paris, France, post-office address 229 Boulevard Preire, have invented anew and useful Hydromechanical,Transformer, which improvements are fully set forth in the following specification.

The object of my invention is to provide for a new harnessing of water-falls, superseding the use of hydraulic wheels and turbines while allowing, with a fall of any given power, the height of head and the delivery to be varied. I I

In order to make my invention more clear- 1y understood and the hereinafter set forth explanations more lucid, I have appended hereto drawings illustrating, as an example,

' an embodiment of a hydro-mechanical trans former built according to my said invention.

In these drawings:

Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, are diagrammatic sections representing the various phases of operation; 7

Figures 5 and 5 show two half-sections which conjointly form a vertical sectional viewo'f a modification, such section being taken through the axis of the twin reservoirs and through the axis of the slide-valve;

Figs. 6 and 6" are vertical sections, according to lines AB and 0-1) of Figure 7;

Figure 7 is a plan view of Figure 5; and Figures 8 and 8 are general views of another modification of my invention applicable to water-falls with a variable head.

Considering a. waterfall offering a given difference X in level between the head-race and the tail-race, the plant COmPl'lSESBSSGIl- 'tia-lly: a containerA of any predetermined capacity and of any suitable form, prefer: ably round or square, the bottom of which is at the level of the tail-race and the height of which is suchas to rise above the level of the head-race.

A pipe B provided with any suitable controller C such as a tap, gate or valve, permits the falling water to penetrate into container A.

Another pipe D, provided with any suitable closing device E allows the water to flow out.

It will be readily perceived that when, gate E being closed, g'atetj is, opened, container A willzfill' with water up to the l1eadrace 1921. sex-m nt). 5o5,1s4.

level and that, inversely, when G is closed and E open, the saidcontainer A will empty itself.

Inside container A is located a water-tight box or float F. of the same shape as container A, and of such a size as to leave but little play between the walls of A and F. The volume of this watertight box is such as to be larger than the volume of water displaced by it, so that it may float. To the bottom of box F is secured a piston G pass:

ing throngh the bottom ofcontainer A and penetrating into the barrel of a pump H provided with a suction valve a and with an the lowest end or .its travel and rests on the bottom of container A. Opening of inlet- ;rate 0 (li igure i2), and closing of outlet. IE, will cause the head race water torush into box A and, when the volume let in has become equal to the difference between the volume of container A and the volume of the body of liquid displaced by F, float F will begin to float.

Due to the slight space between the walls of A and .of F, the said volume must be very small and'the floating will occur within a very short time. p

Second 727mscLz'ft.-The moment it floats, float F, due to vertical pressure of the water introduced through gate C, will be lifted up, its'upward travel continuing until the level of the water in container A is level with that of the head-ta cc. In travelling up,

' float F carries piston G. rigidly secured to it, and the latter will exert a suction action in the pump cylinder H, whereuponvalve a will be opened and water will fill cylinder H.

Third phaseSt mn-diwg.-When float F is at the end of its upward travel, gate E is opened and gate C closed (Figure). Then, within a very short time. the volume of water between walls Av and F runs out, the float not being carried by the water, and comes to rest on the water contained in cylmder H.

The water contained in this cylinder is subjected to a pressure proportional to the sections of F and H which causes the suction valve 1* to open and the water to be delivered under pressure into reservoir 1.

Fourth pZzase-D0sccnt.-Meanwhile the water contained in the lower portion of container A runs out through gate E and the float returns to its starting point.

Gate E has but to be closed then, and gate C opened, to bring about a renewed succession of phases or operations.

The effects of the afore described arrangement are as follows:

1. To transform the waterfall motion into a rectilinear reciprocatory motion.

2. To transform the given delivery and head X into another delivery and head proportional to the ratios between the section or areas of float. F and of piston G, without any variation being required in the power or height of the tall.

It should be understood that, of course, automatic closings and openings of members E and C can be provided for by means of any transmission mechanism driven by displacements of box F or of rod G, thus making operation of the device automatic. Predetermined alterations in the timing of the openings and closings of gates C and E during the travel of float 1* permit any adjustment of the liquid delivery and forcing head.

The modifications shown by Figures 5, 6, 7, comprises essentially:

1. Twin reservoirs A and B, contain floats r and B. These floats are provided with plungers a and Z) working in pump barrels 0 and d; each barrel having at its upper part, a stuffing box ensuring tightness and at its lower part a pipe connecting it with a box containing a suction valve to let head-race water in and an exhaust valve permitting the water to be dis charged under pressure. The said barrels are supported by frames secured in the bottom of reservoirs A and B.

2. A distributor body C formed by superimposed circular chambers f/ and Within distributor 0 moves a double slide-valve Z and Z, the upper stem of which carries, at 2 a compressor piston which moves within a pump barrel or cylinder carrying at 10 and 11 two valvecontrolled boxes communicating with the outside. Above compressor 2 and on its own rod there is, at 8, the motor piston that drives the whole system, as hereinafter explained.

3. A servo-motor 4 is connected to the cylinder of piston 3 and serves as a dis tributor slide for the same. This servo-motor is controlled by a rod 5 connected to a lever 6 carried by a hanger secured to the outer wall of one of the reservoirs A or B.

One of the two reservoirs A or B carries a vertical rod 9, on which areadjustably arranged, at suitable points, two thrust disks T and 8 adapted to contact with and operate the aforementioned lever 6. A water-teed conduit D (Figures 6 and 7) from the head-race extends vertically along the bony ot' distributor C and admits said water above and below double slide Z and Z of the distributor. The latters upper circular chambers a and c communicate with reservoir A and the lower chambers f and f communicate with reservoir B.

Operation of the device is as follows:

The various component members are in normal relative position when float A is at its upper dead point and float B at its lower dead point, the head-race water passing through the lower portion of the distributor body C under piston Z which has uncovered circular chamber f giving access to water into reservoir B.

Under such conditions, the water rising in the reservoir up to the head-race level, will lift float B which will take with it in its upward travel plunger Z) causing the latter to such water into pump barrel (Z. lVith its upward travel, float B" will drag rod 9 upward Figure 6) and the thrust dist: 8 mounted on this rod will come into contact with lever 6 which will depress the piston of the servo-motor 4-. thereby reversing the working of pistons 3, 2, Z and Z, the rod of which is common.

Due to this reversin double piston Z and Z will come down and plug lower chamber f and upper chamber 0 but uncover che Hers f and e. The water previously admitted into reservoir A, finding a passage to the open through chamber 7 in communication with outlet will discharge from said reservoir A. Float A not being buoyed any more will come down and, through its plunger 0., will act. with its whole weight. on the mass of water con tained in cylinder 0 and expel the water under pressure. Jt the same time that chamber f is uncovered to discharge water from reservoir A, chamber e of the distributor is also uncovered and headrace water has access to reservoir B lifting thus float B up to head-race level.

The same cycle as with reservoir A will take place, and so on ii'icletinitely. alternately with reservoirs A and B so long as water is admitted to the heed-race feed channel.

'lravels o't plungers a and Z) being alternate. the result is a constant and regular delivery of water under pressure.

Figure 8 shows a plan which includes a distribution device applicable to varying water-heads.

This plant comprises a tube A in communication with the headrace level through pipe a and a tube 13 in. communication with the tail race level through tube b, so that the head and tail race levels are indicated in the corresponding tubes.

The said tubes and 13 contain floats topped with vertical rods 0"- and d carr v ing at their upper yokes from which are suspended vertical rods 0 and (Z suitably guided. To the lower end of the said rods are secured thrust cleats e and 6.

On the upper cross-piece Z of the floats is secured a vertical rod f"carrying at its lower end a current reversing switch G,

positioned in such a. way asto be always,

disposed between the thrust cleats e' and c Fhe result of the foregoing arrangement is, that cleat 6 will always be in the same position relative to thehead-race level and cleat e in the same position relative to the tail-race level, and that the distance between the said two cleats will always be equal to the difference between the said two levels, that is to say to the possible travel of the float in tube A. 7

It follows, therefore, that, at each end of the travel of said float, switch G will come into contact with thrust cleats-6 and 6 thus reversing the direction of the current, the effect being to reverse the working of the distributor due to the reversing of the current that energizes electro magnet I of.

the servo-motor.

Hence, it becomes apparent that headrace or tail-race level variations, that is to say, variations in the height of the water-- fall, will be immediately reflected on the servo-motor of the distributor, and the latter will adjust the travels of the float according to such level variations.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and the manner in which the same is to be performed, what I claim is 7 1. A hydro-mechanical transformer comprising a pair of reservoirs; a float in each reservoir having a plunger connected thereto; a pump barrel for each plunger arranged in each reservoir; a distributor mechanism comprising a. double slide valve adapted to alternately feed water to one reservoir while exhausting water'froin the other reservoir; a servo motor associated with the slide valve mechanism for causing reciprocation of said slide valve; and means operated by one of said floats for operating said servo motor in order to deliver a con stant amount of water under pressure from said pump barrels. 2. A hydro-mechanical transformer comprising a pair of reservoirs; a float in each reservoir having a plunger connected thereto; a pump barrel for each plunger arranged in each reservoir; a distributor mechanism comprising a double slide valve adapted to alternately feed water to one reservoir While exhausting water from the other reservoir; a servo motor associated with the slide valve mechanism for causing reciprocation of said sl1de valve; and a rod and disk arrangement connected to and operated by one of said floats for operating said servo motor in order to deliver aconstant amount of Water under pressure from said pump barrels.

3. A control mechanism for a hydro-mechanical transformer comprising a distributor housing associated with the transformer; a slide valve in saidhousing adapted to control the entry and the exhaust of water from the transformer; a servo motor secured to said housing and adapted to conmeans of said rod; and means controlled by the transformer for operating said servo motor.

. 5. A control mechanism for a hydro-1ne-- chanlcal transformer comprising a distributor housing associated with the transfornr er; a slide valve and rod in said housing adapted to control the entry and the exhaust ofwater from the transformer; a servo motorv secured to said housing adapted to cause actuation of said slide valve by means of said rod; and a rod and lever mechanism controlled by the transformer for operating said servo motor. a

6. A hydro-mechanical transformer comprising a pair of reservoirs; a float in each reservoir having a plunger connected thereto; a pump barrel for each plunger arranged in each reservoir;a distributor housing associated with said reservoirs and having hausting water from the other reservoir by means of said chambers; a servo motor associated with the slide valve mechanism for causing reciprocation of. said slide valve; and a rod vand'disk arrangement connected to and operated by one of-sald floats for operating said servo motor in order to de liver a constant amount of Water under pressure from said pump barrels. I In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

EMILE FOUCHEE. 

